I am really looking forward to seeing The Shape of Water when it released in Feb in the UK. It’s an original film from a fantastically creative film maker and it looks amazing. I must confess though, I am more excited for The Predator, Deadpool 2 and Avengers: Infinity War.

This year there are more than 30 sequels coming out at the cinema and I am sure that I will watch a good portion of them. Although, the way sequels are treated is funny. Fans and movie goers in general, myself included, lament the lack of original movies coming out but we love to see the on-going adventures of characters we know and love. The trick to making a sequel successful is to make it interesting and fresh while not affecting what has gone before or changing what is at the core of the character.

If we look at a couple of movie series that have multiple sequels we can see where some have succeeded and others have failed, at least in my opinion. Now I am going to discount any series based on books (Harry Potter, Hunger Games etc) as they have a template to work from.

To end on a positive note let’s start with two film series that I mostly enjoy but have followed a very similar path and as a result are at a low point. The Terminator and Alien.

They both start with a small sci-fi horror concept, one a haunted house the other a slasher film. Each gained attention and success by creating a complete world and just dropping the viewer in them. The follow ups take that concept and instead of treading the same ground, up the ante. Aliens and T2 are examples of perfect sequels being great movies in their own right, while building on what was established in the first films. James Cameron being the director and creative force behind each is a testament to his talent.

Unfortunately, after that is where its starts to fall apart. In both cases the third film in the franchise tries to do something new, without really respecting the characters that have been established. Both T3 and Alien 3 have uneven tones and do not feel like extensions of the stories that have already been told. In my opinion Alien 3 is a better film that T3. This could have just been a wobble overall but the issues continue.

The fourth instalments in each series (Terminator: Salvation and Alien: Resurrection) are jumps forward in time and force story telling conceits to keep certain characters in play. Both ignore key elements of the past films in favour of trying to standalone. They are shallow and forced. I would even go as far as to say that both have a negative effect on the films that have come before by taking characters in a poor direction.

In both cases this should have been the end. Profits and credibility were low but there was going to be more. In recent years, we have had Prometheus (and Covenant) and Terminator: Genysis which have both tried to rewrite the history of what has come before. I would suggest that that the result is mostly negative and in some ways insulting to fans of the series.

As I say, both are at a low point now but I am sure we will get some form of movie continuation at some point. The only thing I can hope for is that we get a sequel that is honest to what the heart of the franchise is about.

On the flip side is a series of films that have reinvented themselves to become one of the biggest money makers of recent years. Much like Alien and Terminator the Fast and Furious films start with a small and tight concept. It was nothing new but it was fun did better than expected, it was bound to get a sequel. The following two films try different approaches but always keep the core fun, if daft, elements in play … and fast cars, lots and lots of fast cars. The fourth film in the series is the most interesting for me, it goes back to the beginning but starts to grow the focus of the first three. They move from underground racers being involved in crime to crime stories centred on core characters that happen to be excellent race drivers.

This is taken to the next level in 5, with the addition of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. 5 through 8 are crazy crime action movies. They have massive set pieces and explosions, and they took a middling franchise into one of the most successful of the 21st century.

Another example of knowing your franchise but keeping it fresh is the Mission Impossible series. Each film since the first in 1996 has had a different director that has brought a different tone and feel but they have kept the similar sense of fun action and big stunts. Doing so they have gone from strength to strength, with the 6th instalment coming in 2018.

I know that these are very different beasts and that the F&F and MI series is are more pulp action nonsense overall. However, there is something very important that the Terminator and Alien franchise can learn from them. People want to see these characters do what they do. It’s why Bond has 25 films, why Rocky never started MMA, it’s also why people get so frustrated with the Hellraiser franchise (that’s a blog for another day).

As movie goers, we cry out for new and fresh concept and characters and stories. These will always excite and intrigue us. However, let’s be honest, as some studios have shown over the decades, if you put time, effort and money into a well thought out sequel you will satisfy fans and bring in new people as well as make a ton of cash.

I have written quite a few reviews of films and a couple of books over the years. That’s not to say that they’re any good but I am more experienced reviewing those. So when I decided to try reviewing an album, a Beatles album no less, I wasn’t sure where to start. I have no musical ability or technical knowledge, so that only left me with how the songs and overall album make me feel, which let’s be honest, is the only thing that really matters.

“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released in June 1967. It is considered the height of the Beatles creative collaboration and one of the greatest albums of all time. So is it any good? Actually yes, it is very good and I was able to listen to it repeatedly over three days without getting bored of it.

This album can be dropped into and the songs listened to and enjoyed individually. There are several that I really enjoy, “Lucy in the sky with Diamonds”, “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” and “A day in the life” all of which are predominantly credited to John Lennon. I wasn’t aware of this until after listening to the album and doing the research for the podcast on the Beatles. In my opinion these are the songs that feel the most contemporary, even today. It would appear that John Lennon may have been my favourite Beatle.

However the real joy comes from listening to the whole album. This is a case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Yes the songs are good but the album is a great show. You are welcomed with energy and joy to the show. It then continues from there with ups and downs, all the time with energy and creativity. This album is a tour of styles and imagination from each of the members combined.

When the show is over there is an encore, “A day in the life”, a combination of Lennon and McCartney Lyrics telling two different stories. The tone of the song is different from the rest of the album. A coda highlighting the creative brilliance of the band and how they cover so many different styles and had the ability to balance artistic merit with humour and fun.

If you want to get into the Beatles start at the beginning and experience them as they evolve and grow. If you are looking for the best from a band at its creative height then I strongly recommend enjoying the show put on by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

It is pretty much generally accepted that 2016 has been a crap year, for many reasons.

We have lost some of the most influential pop culture icons of the 20th Century. The loss of these people is sad and is a great loss to the creative arts but while we have lost the person their great work is still there and can and should be celebrated. I want to mention something about just two of these great people; David Bowie and Alan Rickman.

In response to the death of David Bowie earlier in the year I went and listened to his entire discography. I didn’t think it was all great but it was really fun to listen to it all and experience his creativity and get a glimpse of his imagination. Bowie was a fascinating character that was not tied into any traditional rules of what could be done as a pop / rock star, breaking down barriers for so many other people to follow. while he may not have had a direct influence on my life, listening to his music is easy to see that has influenced so many musicians and artists that have had an influence on my tastes.

Alan Rickman was an actor that appeared massively in my life. For me he was the perfect depiction of the bad guy. His appearances in Die Hard, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and later the Harry Potter series established him in that role for me. I know he has appeared in loads of other films and is great in all of them but to me he personified the perfect villain. Is that a bad place to be? Depends how you look at it. The fact is he was a great actor and he will be greatly missed.

The point of this is to consider the celebration of each of these great people. They are a loss to pop culture but if you are a fan let people know why. That is a big part of what the podcast is about, going back experiencing and celebrating the work and influence of some great pop culture icons. I am really looking forward to celebrating the work of some of these icons, Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

In addition to this we have seen a massive shift in political belief and loss of common sense. I don’t want to get into a detailed political tirade hear, that’s not the point of this site but there are a few things worth mentioning. The rise of populist politics is cause and effect and just shows that we do not learn lessons from history. Globally we experienced a period of boom during which we all got very comfortable and complacent. When the bubble burst in 2008 the world looked for someone to blame. Don’t get me wrong, there was someone to blame but we all let it happen and we have suffered the consequences.

The period of depression that has followed has been difficult and impacted everyone at home. Decisions that were made behind closed doors in a shiny office building we have meant we have suffered. This has re-established the notion that so much of our lives is out of our control. Knowing this is scary and we want someone to tell us why this happens, who is to blame and reassure us they will do something about it. A protective charismatic leader who we believe has our best interests at heart. In this dark fearful place is where the right wing thrives and its control across the world is growing like a mould.

This of course has been made worse by an escalation in terrorist violence the world over. I am not a religious person and have no theological dog in this fight. However just as a person I understand that this is a fight of good against evil, the twisting of a belief system that is based on hope and love. However, I also understand that this twisting is caused by fear and hatred of a perceived loss of control.

In both cases people worried about the future and their own small world have looked for something secure and clear cut to cling on to. Something that they can say provides perspective and clarity of purpose to their world. That is not to say that the actions that have been taken are right in anyway shape or form. Only that people driven by hatred have used peoples fear as a launch pad to spread more fear and hatred.

Ok, this part has become a bit of a rant, sorry about that. The point I want to make is that we have been here before. There are many examples but you only need to understand the rise of Nazism in Germany to appreciate the possible futures we are now facing. However, there is something that we can do about it.

20th Century Geek has been a positive passion project and while this year has had its own challenges personally it has taught me something about making time to do what you love. It has provided a channel to share a passion with friends and meet a host of people that share my passion or have introduced me to their passion for other things.

The best I can advise is find your positive passion, the thing that makes you happy and smile. Then follow that passion, keep it to yourself, share it or find others that share that passion, just keep happy. The world can be a dark place and instead of looking for someone to share your fear find someone who shares your love. Easier said than done? Well give it a try in 2017 and if you can, let me know what it is and how it goes.

To finish lets talk about the podcast. The podcast has been an experiment, which has meant that the shows have all been a little different in style and content. Having tried a few things, some of which haven't even seen the light of day, I am starting to settle on a format. There will be a lot more of Mike and I chatting about films and other historical tidbits. The one thing that I will be introducing in the new year are a series of interviews with people actively involved in things that celebrate elements of 20th Century Pop Culture. I am really excited about meeting these people and sharing their passion.

Anyway, time to wrap up so Merry Christmas and have a great 2017. please feel free to contact me either through email or social media, I would love to talk to you about what your passionate about.